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Barbera is a name you’re won’t hear often in wine circles but the wine it makes is the doted on like liquid gold. Native to the Italian region of Piedmont, where locals refer to Barbera as “the people’s wine”. That’s because Barbera grew easily and produced light bodied ‘drink now wines’ for centuries. However in the late 20th century, the grape underwent a renaissance that saw the creation of two epic styles Barbera d’Alba and Barbera d’Asti that Barbera the bonafide star it is today.
around the world
Barbera isn’t exclusively restricted to Piedmont and has found favour with winemakers in Emilia-Romagna and Sicily who make a bunch of quaffable turns. Outside the continent, cool pockets of vineyards Australia and South Africa yield a light and fruity New World Barbera as do the steep hill in Argentina’s Mendoza.
Tastes Like
When youthful, Barbera displays piping acidity and intense colour and bursts with copious red fruit and smooth tannins. The higher quality batches of fruit, when barrel aged evolves into a deeper, mature wine with subtle fruit, rounder tannins and fuller length.
On the palate
Fresh plums and signature cherry flavours regale the tastebuds, buoyed by juicy acidity and soft tannins.
Pairing Recommendations
Barbera is a good food wine for so many reasons – vibrant fruit, crackling acidity and nice weight. And all of these open up so many options like lightly cooked meats, pizzas, red sauce pasta and mushroom led dishes.
key styles
Barbera will always be best known for the sheer magic it conjures in the regions of Asti and Alba. Barbera D’Asti is relatively fresh and youthful with a bit of barrel ageing. Barbera D’Alba on the other hand is more full bodied and deeply flavoured, beaming with cherry and vanilla laced with chocolate.
